SILENT AGONY Corrie star Samia Longchambon reveals she’s been secretly living with painful disease after sparking concern with pic
SAMIA Longchambon has revealed she has been secretly living with a painful disease for the last 20 years.
The Corrie actress, 43, sparked concern when she shared a picture of her fingers looking white at the tips and revealed she is experiencing Raynaud’s syndrome, a condition causing reduced blood flow to the fingers and toes.
After being inundated with messages about the condition, Samia told her followers: “Seems many of you have the same thing and lots are asking for tips on how to deal with it.. I’ve had it about 20 years now and it’s not dangerous, it’s called #raynauds disease.. when I get too cold a couple of my fingers go numb and I lose feeling in them.
“It doesn’t last long but can be a bit painful when the blood returns. For me, it’s usually just my fingers so it’s quite mild, but I know that it can affect toes too in some people.”
The star, who plays Maria Connor on the ITV soap, went on to offer her fellow sufferers some advice on how to deal with it.
She explained: “My tips so far have been to keep as warm as possible (obviously!). Wear gloves when it’s cold out. Hand warmers are my best friend in winter.
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“Eat/ drink anything with ginger as that’s good for circulation. And keep moving my fingers to get the blood flowing again!”
Samia , who made it clear she isn’t a professional, added: “Even going down the freezer aisle in a supermarket can set mine off .”
Emmerdale actress Michelle Hardwick commented on the post and revealed she also had it.
She wrote: “I first noticed mine when I was 10 playing netball… Since then I’ve been diagnosed with Raynauds Disease. Thank goodness for hand warmers in that Emmerdale village.”
Samia has been a core member of the Corrie cast since the year 2000.
She married French pro skater Sylvain Longchambon in 2016, after they were paired together on Dancing On Ice in 2013. They have a son called Yves, born in 2015.
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Signs of Raynaud’s
Raynaud’s disease means that the small blood vessels in the extremities such as the hands, feet, fingers or toes are over-sensitive to even the slightest changes in temperature, cold conditions and sometimes emotional stress.
When our bodies are exposed to the cold, a normal response is for the blood vessels to become narrower.
When someone has Raynaud’s this reaction may be much more extreme.
It will sometimes cause a noticeable colour change to the affected areas, with the skin turning white, then blue and finally to red as the circulation returns.
This is known as a Raynaud’s attack.
A Raynaud’s attack can be very uncomfortable, and sometimes quite painful.
It can also make everyday tasks, like buttoning a jacket or unzipping a purse, very difficult.
Raynaud’s symptoms generally affect the fingers and toes, but all extremities can be involved, including the hands, feet, ears, nose, lips, tongue and nipples.
Raynaud’s is a common condition thought to affect up to ten million people in the UK.